The Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce HobNob is THE meet and greet event of the Indiana electoral season. I don't entirely understand the food chain, but it is officially co-sponsored by the Indiana Democrat, Libertarian, and Republican parties. Local tv and radio stations have their fingers in it as well.
It was a fine mix of prominent business people, members of boards and such, and many of the higher level candidates for public office in the state this year. I'm guessing there were a thousand people or more attending.
We all got together for a lovely affair at the Indiana Historical Society on Ohio Street. One particularly nice feature of the event was the bunch of wandering historical re-enactors hired from Conner Prarie among other places. They wandered the grounds in historical garb, schmoozing and telling their stories. They had a particularly cool looking ringer for Teddy Roosevelt. Most of them were more types of people, though, rather than specific historical figures. I was bonding with a fur trapper from the Oklahoma territories, circa 1860.
Probably my bestest new buddy for the night turned out to be Katherine Fox Carr, a very personable Democrat running for the 5th district house seat long occupied by Dan Burton. She expressed some frustration that a whack job like Burton cannot be effectively challenged in this heavily Republican district. She considers him rather an embarassment to the state.
For my part, I kind of enjoy such eccentricities as Burton's talk on the house floor about how he had shot a watermelon in his back yard to test a theory about Vince Foster's death. I find such things endearingly eccentric, but I can see how exasperating this might be to others. Miss Katherine thinks we need a more serious and perhaps more mentally balanced congressional representative.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
it's the American Dream Al, and you are living it; sounds like you are enjoying it and giving it your all
2 - Al Barger
Oo-wee, Eric, you're right. I'm livin' la vida loco. I feel like Ricky Martin.
3 - Eric Olsen
all you can do in life is take advantage of your opportunities
4 - Mike Kole
I've run into Al on the trail about once a month. He definitely has a good time with it.
I wish I could have been at the Hob-Nob. It's a great event, with the power schmoozing definitely happening. Al's a very refreshing candidate in that he doesn't take himself so deadly seriously as most do. The average candidate is a bore and has an ego the size of Texas.
I will express my disappointment with the lack of comment on this thread, too. The rhetoric is jumped on with haste. The action is neglected.
5 - Hal Pawluk
It's simple, Mike: nobody cares about "A Day In The Life Of A Libertarian."
A day in the life of president Bush is another matter.
6 - Mike Kole
On the other hand, Al was featured in the Indy Star's Sunday edition political cartoon. I'm jealous!
All I need to do now is find a way to link the thing here. (I'm HTML illiterate.)
7 - Al Barger
CARTOON AL HERE
Indianapolis Star story HERE